I hadn’t heard a peep out of Grant since he’d stormed away from my house. Ran. He ran. And I couldn’t blame him. I’d told him I didn’t think we should see each other and I suppose he agreed. I imagined the reality had hit him as hard as it hit me and I guess I should’ve been happy. I didn’t ever have to face Halle knowing I was continuing the lie. Yes, there’d always be a huge secret from her, but I’d never tell knowing it would only hurt her and for no good reason.

I finished my last session of the day hours before and had given myself the afternoon off when the noise started outside my backdoor. I went to the window and watched as a landscaping company backed their truck up to unload the bed which was piled with trees. That stings.

My phone rang minutes later as I watched the first tree go in the ground and I looked over to see Halle with her phone to her ear, headed my way. Sure enough her smiling profile image donned my screen. I answered and said hello as I opened the door.

“Hey,” she said hanging up her phone. “I didn’t realize you were watching, I’d hoped I hadn’t interrupted your session with all the noise.” She didn’t seem upset with me, so I guessed that Willa hadn’t told her anything about seeing me at her dad’s latest party.

“Not at all, I’m taking the afternoon off.”

“So you already know that Daddy decided to stop coming?”

My smile faded. “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting him.”

Halle touched my hand. “I’m really sorry he’s being strange. We had a fight and well, he’s being pig-headed. I’m trying to talk him into coming back.”

“That’s not good to pressure him.” I knew she’d be unsuccessful. He’d surely come to his senses. The ache in my chest grew as I remembered the intimacy between us. “I mean, most clients come at their own will. Maybe that was the problem all along.”

“Maybe, but I still think he needs to talk to someone.” She closed her arms around her front and stared at the floor as if something was weighing on her pretty heavily.

“Are you okay? You said that the two of you had a fight?” I held my breath and hoped I wasn’t a part of it.

“Turns out he knows Charles. To be honest I thought you had said something to him about what I told you.” She gripped my arm and shook her head. “Not that I think you’d snitch, but I didn’t know how he knew.”

“It’s okay, really.” I didn’t blame her and the guilt was eating away at me. I didn’t know if I could live forever with the secret eating away at me, but it was better than hurting Halle.

“You know, Daddy has his ways about him. No telling how he found out but I’m sure I don’t want to know. He’s asked me to stop seeing Charles.” She pulled her hand back and held her middle again. I had a feeling she hadn’t done as requested, so I decided to ask.

“So have you broken it off?”

“As if. I really like Charles and though we’ve had our back and forth lately, I think it could work. Besides, the sex is amazing.”

I considered pointing out her hypocrisy when my doorbell rang. I left her in the kitchen as I hurried past my office and to the front door. I threw it open to find Grant on the other side and he didn’t waste time as he rushed past me.

“I know you said you want to stop seeing me, but Katie we need to talk about this.” He raked his fingers through his hair as my eyes widened and I grabbed his arm to pull him into my office.

“Grant, shush. Halle’s—

He protested and continued. “No, let me finish! I can’t stop thinking about you. I think I’m falling in love with you.”

“What?” Halle’s voice sounded from down the hall and we’d only made it to the doorway of my office when Grant had pulled me to a stop and blurted out his emotions. I peeked around the door and saw her standing wide-eyed with her mouth hanging open.

Grant turned and saw his daughter, his eyes widened as big as saucers. I clutched my collar and stared between the two of them as Grant ended the awkward silence. “I thought you went home.”

Her eyes welled up with tears and my heart sank. “I thought I’d come tell Katie you weren’t coming tonight and about the trees. But I see you two do enough talking on your own.”

She walked back to the kitchen and we both ran after her. I pushed Grant out of the way and tried to take her by the arm only to have her pull away. “Halle, please let us explain.”

“You both lied to me! You’re the younger woman. Willa said there was probably more than one.” She turned to glare at her father and I shook my head. “How could you let him use you, Katie? What did you think you’d gain? I know you’re desperate and lonely, but shit! He’s my dad!” I knew the words came from anger so I didn’t mind the sting. I deserved anything she wanted to dish out.

“I’m so done with you both.” She pushed past and as I tried to stop her, Grant took my arm and pulled me back.

“Let her go. She’ll cool off.”

I pushed back and slapped his arms away from me. “What are you thinking? She’s going to hate me now! You’re her father, she can’t stay pissed off at you, but I’ll lose her forever!” Tears pooled in my eyes and he took my face in his hands and pulled me closer, soothing me with soft sounds.

“It’s going to be okay, I promise. She’s just shocked. It’s better this way, now she knows.” He turned my face towards his, keeping his hands planted firmly on each side, covering my ears. “I don’t want to be without you, Katie.”

I buried my head in his chest and let the tears fall. I was happy and sad all at once, the emotion washing over me in waves so I didn’t know what to do other than cry it out. I was happy because I’d missed him too. I didn’t know how or if it could work out, but had hoped that somehow it would. When I’d seen those trees going up I had thought it was because he was putting up a wall between us. But now I knew the wall was Halle. His lips crashed down on mine and I couldn’t reciprocate.

“I can’t do this. I can’t be with you until I know Halle is okay with it and she won’t ever be. I won’t trade her for you. I can’t do that to her. I can’t chance it if it’s going to kill our friendship.” I stepped away and wiped my eyes. “Please leave.”

“Katie, please. It’s all out in the open now and we’ll work it out.” His offer was so tempting but I couldn’t go through with it.

I walked to the door and held it open. “Please don’t make this any harder than that it already is. Please leave.”

He walked outside and turned around, holding the door open. “I’m not going to give up on us. I’ll talk to her.”

“She won’t want us together.” He knew her as well as I did and I couldn’t ever see her being okay with this.

“Fine, I’m going. But tell me you don’t want me, Katie. Tell me you don’t want me as much as I want you.”

“I can’t. I do want you. I want it all, but not at the expense of my friendship. It will change everything. She’s all I’ve ever had and you should understand that more than anyone.”

He nodded as if it were finally sinking in and without another word he walked away. I watched as he took the path to the front gate and then I shut the door and went to my office.

I lowered myself to the sofa and considered calling Halle and begging for her to forgive me. I remembered that time we’d gone to the island, she’d told me I was part of her family and she wanted me to come along on the family vacation, even knowing that she wasn’t going to have much time left with her mother, she’d wanted me close for support.

I’d betrayed that with my selfishness and my only hope is that she’d forgive me and we’d move past it, but I had a feeling I’d made the most unforgivable mistake.